An interesting thing I heard yesterday regarding continuous monitoring...
I was at an appointment with my midwife yesterday. A midwife from the local hospital popped in at the same time I was there, and we all got chatting.
My midwife told him that she has 8 VBACs booked in with her, all due before August. And she said while its great that the information is getting out there that VBAC is safe, she has to wonder why so many are coming to her and not through the hospital. The male midwife agreed that the public hospital is not supportive of VBACs. (Their rate of c-section is 1 in 3 births btw)
Then she went on to ask him why no water births are allowed up there - for a VBAC. He said its because of the continuous monitoring (which we suspected was the reason) and she said "but we can check with a doppler at any time we like - however many times we like" He just nodded and agreed with her. Then she asked why they have a policy of continous monitoring with VBACs anyway - and he said that because the theory is that the first sign of uterine rupture is the baby's heartbeat changing dramatically.
However - in all his years as a midwife - he has never actually seen PROOF of this theory, and he's seen a few ladies close to rupture - but the monitoring didn't pick it up.
Which is interesting I thought!! He then added that the only thing that has been proven with continuous monitoring is that the c-section rate goes up ;)
And then - he said because they have had computer problems over there at the hospital, they haven't been able to have the machine at the front desk like they normally would when a woman is in labour (which I didn't really understand, I guess they have a portable one or something thats in the front desk, connecting wirelessly to one in the room attached to the labouring woman?) and since they haven't had this and had to spend time with their patients instead of watching the machine - c-section rate has gone DOWN at the hospital.
Oooh its all very interesting isn't it? And I'm totally glad I'm going to the birth centre instead of the hospital!! LOL
